Ryan Gosling 'disappointed' by Margot Robbie, Greta Gerwig Oscar snubs: 'There is no Ken without Barbie'

His job is just beach — and advocating for the women in his life.

Ryan Gosling reacted to his third Academy Award nod — for his supporting role as Ken to Margot Robbie's Barbie in Greta Gerwig's 2023 summer blockbuster Barbie — by expressing his disappointment that his costar and director were snubbed in their categories by Academy members Tuesday morning, when nominations for the 2024 Oscars were announced.

"I am extremely honored to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films," Gosling, 43, said in a statement. "And I never thought I’d being saying this, but I’m also incredibly honored and proud that it’s for portraying a plastic doll named Ken. But there is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film."

The actor added, "No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius. To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement. Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, they made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and they made history. Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees."

With that said, Gosling said he was "so happy" for costar America Ferrera, who received her first-ever Oscar nomination for her supporting role as Mattel employee Gloria, "and the other incredible artists who contributed their talents to making this such a groundbreaking film.”

The 2023 summer blockbuster earned eight nominations overall on Tuesday morning, including Best Picture and two Original Songs for "I'm Just Ken" and Billie Eilish's "What Was I Made For?" As a producer on the film, Robbie did land a nomination as it is up for Best Picture, but in a major shocker, Gerwig and Robbie were shut out from the Best Director and Best Actress categories, respectively. Gosling's nomination marks his third. He was previously nominated for Best Actor in 2007 and 2017, for his roles in Half Nelson and La La Land, respectively.

Over the phone with EW on Tuesday morning, Ferrera called her first-time nom "surreal and a dream come true" and echoed Gosling's sentiments over Gerwig and Robbie's snubs. "Their work in both of those categories was phenomenal and in my book [they] deserve to be acknowledged for the history they made, for the ground they broke, for the beautiful artistry," Ferrera said. "They're my girls, and I want to see them celebrated for their amazingness, so that part of it is definitely bittersweet."

The 96th Academy Awards will air on Sunday, March 10, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC. See the full list of 2024 Oscar nominations.

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